It was a sunny but windy day at St Michael’s Golf Course when 144 golfers gathered for The Girls & Boys Brigade Charity Golf Day. The 21st of October 2020 marked the 7th annual day that the Brigade has hosted this sell-out event.
Teeing off at 8 am, golfers played the 18-hole coastal course, competing for the chance to win the coveted Directors Cup. The course included a range of on-course competitions, including the Hole in One where golfers tested their aim for the chance to drive away with a flashy A250 Mercedes, provided by the event’s Gold Sponsor Sanderson Mercedes Benz.
Over $127,000 was raised on the day to support The Girls & Boys Brigade. The theme for the day was resilience. Money raised went towards launching a series of resilience workshops in 2021 for children, youth and their families.
The effects of COVID-19 saw mental health issues rising at an alarming rate in Australia in 2020 and the mental health system is experiencing increasing demands. At The Girls & Boys Brigade, many families are turning to the holistic family support service for informal counselling and assistance in navigating government and community services.
At the Golf Day’s fundraising lunch, Tracy Clifton, our Program Manager told the captive audience, “Our Family Support Program is bursting at the seams. We are very aware that we need to develop specific resilience programs and work harder than ever to ensure our children and youth are supported and flourishing.”
“Our programs build resilience when we improve children’s confidence through facing personal challenges,” said Ms Clifton. “These are things that most of us remember doing at home with our parents. But for many of our children this is not the case, so providing those opportunities through programs like our camps or excursions is really important”
Amongst ever-changing COVID-19 restrictions, it was uncertain for a while whether the day would go ahead.
“Many charities had to cancel their annual fundraisers due to COVID-19,” said Stefan Lamour-Jansson, Executive Officer of The Girls & Boys Brigade. “We feel very lucky to have been able to hold our Annual Golf Day. A huge thank you to everyone who help us put this event together and who donated on the day.”
The Girls & Boys Brigade would like to thank the 2020 Golf Committee: Chairman, Paul Strutt and Members, Cam Smith, Richard Flood, Henry Herron, Andrew Ratcliffe, Phil Burford, Andy Fairfax and Scott Furby.